Notes from an HF holiday, 30/10-6/11
Saturday
My train from Paddington was cancelled – or rather, stopped short at Reading, whither we were instructed to take the next train three minutes later. Otherwise, the journey was on schedule, finishing with a two-carriage train from St Erth to St Ives. My route from station to guesthouse was lengthened by my attempts to follow my notes from Google Maps and turn left by The Squashed Tomato, no longer in existence. So I had some sense of the town, location of church and time of Sunday service, before arriving.
There are 24 guests, with more to come on Tuesday. We are divided into two sittings for dinner and breakfast. I am on the late shift: 19.45 and 8.30. After the “walk talk” at 18.00, I signed up for Walk 3.
Sunday
Went to the early service at St Ia’s church, with an unexpectedly long sermon. So, no time for a cooked breakfast. I also managed to leave my lunchbox behind, though I had a flapjack in my shoulder-bag.
All the walks started from the house, walked up to Knill’s monument, and returned by the coast path. Walk 3 included Trencrom Hill, which I had visited on the first walk of my 2019 visit to Cornwall. Both hills very windy on top. Sporadic rain. Our path down Trencrom Hill followed St Michael’s Way, the way I went up two years ago, having been dropped off at the foot.
Lunch (thanks to generous fellow-walkers) at the chapel beside Lelant Church (St Uny), now a heritage centre. Centre and church both closed, but managed to photograph a side-altar piece lit by a sunbeam through the window.
Back along the coast path, spectacular views but failed to see seals.
Monday
Coach to points on the south coast to walk to Marazion. Three quarters of the walkers chose Walk 3; Walk 2 was only 10 km. Almost all the walk was along the coast path: easy, though I baulked at the steep rocky descent to a small stony beach for lunch and stayed by a waterfall, where I shot a video for the sounds of stream and sea. Coming to Praa sands, we saw a few surfers and paddle boards.
Reached Marazion at about 3.40, and found the church open. So, having been shown where the bus would pick us up, I returned there to photograph the paintings by Zoe Cameron. Sent an email greeting Nigel Marns, who led the 2019 walk and is rector of Marazion – no reply.
A shame that the tide did not allow a visit to St Michael’s Mount. But, with sunset at 5, there wouldn’t have been time.
Tuesday
A free day, when the 3-night walkers go home and the 4-night walkers arrive. I stayed in St Ives, and went with two Canadian sisters, Jan and Catherine, to visit the Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Museum and Garden, then to the Tate Gallery, before walking round the end of the “Island” to the harbour for lunch of cornish pasties and ice cream. Back to the house for the afternoon, reading Life of Pi. At about 4.30 I felt like more exercise, and walked up the hill and around for the last half-hour of daylight.
Wednesday
Today’s Walk 2 involves more ascent than Walk 3, and was more popular. Having counted up the early sign-ups, I stayed with Walk 3, partly to experience all three leaders. There were a couple of places (steep, possibly slippery stones to cross a stream) where I was glad of a helping hand from Phil.
We were dropped of at Lizard, about 1 km NE of Lizard Point, and took an inland route passing two churches, at Church Cove and Grade. Between the two, we had the joy of a farm lane covered in slurry. Most people tried to stick to the narrow, steep bank beside a barbed wire fence; I ploughed straight through, and once or twice had to struggle to free a boot from the mud. After Ruan Minor, we met the coast and headed west along the coast path, dropping to the fishing village of Cadgwith , then rising again past the “Devil’s Frying Pan” where the sea rushes in through a narrow opening, and a lifeboat station. Unfortunately, we did not have time to go to the Lizard Point, let alone the “beautiful view from Kynance Cove” mentioned in the description.
There was a quiz after dinner, but I was not in the mood, and skipped it. I’m told it was fun.
Thursday
Another walk straight from the front door and back. It began the way I walked on Tuesday afternoon, then over Rosewall Hill and along lanes to Towednack church before climbing Zennor Hill. The wettest day of the week, windy on top, and boggy under foot – more wet than muddy on the boots. As we descended , the weather improved. The path led through bracken, and we were met by Louise’s partner and puppy for the last stretch to Zennor village, where I visited the church and the others chose between pub and cafe.
We returned to St Ives, not along the coast path but along the field path, aka Coffin Path or Miners’ Path, which featured “Cornish cattle grids” – parallel slabs of rock. This was the longest walk of the week – 12 miles.
Friday
Off in the bus to the south coast again, this time between the two stretches walked so far. For Walk 3, because of road works the start was before rather than after Mullion Village, so the total distance was 10 miles rather than 8.5. Then we joined the coast path, where there were several recent diversions. Another “Church Cove” housed a church in the dunes with a separate C13 tower. Lunch at Gunwalloe, the south end of Porthleven Sands, where we arrived before Walk 2 had finished theirs. Their path was on the west side of the large lake called the Loe, while we were on the east side, through woodlands. We were reunited by a boating lake opposite a car park on the outskirts of Helston, not having time to visit the town centre.
This was the warmest day, and I shed my jacket and overtrousers for most of the walk. Also the only day with no rain and therefore no rainbow.
On returning, I quickly changed my boots for shoes, added a fleece, and headed for the station to explore short cuts for the morning.
Saturday
Before breakfast, I booked my next holiday: Lulworth Cove, 4 nights end Jan/beg. Feb.
emeritablog: life after work 